


Breaking Down the Walls

by PrimeAutobots



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Other, Panic Attacks, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron)-centric, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 14:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15463884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrimeAutobots/pseuds/PrimeAutobots
Summary: Shiro needs some comfort.He can’t be strong all the time.





	Breaking Down the Walls

**Author's Note:**

> I promised I would rewrite this and I did! It took a while but I was hit with a train of Voltron Inspirations, saw the old version and bang! Ideas to redo it!
> 
> THE TAGS ARE THE WARNINGS! READ THEM!
> 
> Voltron belongs to DreamWorks, this wasn't written for profit purposes. 
> 
> Inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHM9nWPAfQQ&index=160&t=0s&list=PL4vfcxYK5jOgt6RIXqnCVyCQf9Eq31YSb

Shiro was strong, and that was clear as day to anyone who looked at him. He was not only physically strong, but emotionally too. Despite all he had been through he kept a strong and supportive face for his team and those around him.

But like everyone else, he could not always be strong. In the middle of the night cycles was when it was hardest. The oppressing darkness closing in, so eerily similar to how it was in Galra captivity. When he was left alone with just his haunting thoughts. Alone with the sharp aching want for comfort and affection that he could never bring himself to ask for.

That was why everyone was so shaken when Shiro has his first bad panic attack in front of them. The black paladin had shown no signs that he was on edge, that he felt like he was going to have a panic attack. There was no warning of the distress and fear that had been coursing through him. Shiro had fallen to his knees, harsh sobs racking his body violently. His hands had been pulling at his hair and his face had been stricken with panic and fear.

None of them had known what to do. Approaching him had ended with Shiro desperately scrambling away or lashing out, his terror so painfully clear. It had upset and scared the team beyond belief. All of them has twitched and fidgeted nervously as they had watched, unable to do anything without making the situation worse.

They had been visiting an alien planet, a potential Voltron supporter. The leader of the planet’s castle was dark and drab, with purple lighting. It had freaked everyone out with how similar it was to the Galra prisons. Everyone was tense so they had no noticed how on edge Shiro had become.

The point that had pushed him over the edge was when they had been shown their room. It had been on the far side of the castle, quite unkempt and vaguely similar to a cell. The door had slammed closed and Shiro had taken a look around for breaking down, it too much for him to handle any longer.

The paladins had lost count after the first two hours, by that point they had all settled down somewhere to wait out the panic attack. They had known that Shiro was touchy and uncomfortable around some things but they hadn’t connected the dots to his time in Galra activity or noticed how bad it was. They had known, despite their inexperience that the panic attack was bad and that feeling was only boosted by the fact they could hear and feel their lions concern and worry in their minds.

It had been a huge relief to them all when Shiro had shown signs of starting to calm down and return back to them. When they had been able to Keith had approached Shiro with a water pouch and a blanket. The black paladin had just looked up at his little brother with big sad eyes and a face that demanded affection. Keith had crouched down beside Shiro, draped the blanket over the older man, and opened his arms for a hug. More tears had welled up in Shiro’s eyes and he had surged into Keith’s arms, almost knocking the red paladin over.

The night had ended in a group hug, and everyone piling together on the beds that they had pushed together to sleep.

Shiro was terrified that he had shown the team so much and once he had woken up he almost worked himself into another panic attack over it. The team managed to calm him down and made sure he was okay. They had left the planet as soon as they respectfully could.

It had hurt them deeply that Shiro had kept all this to himself for so long, and it hurt even more to see him in so much pain.

The team worked hard to become aware and notice the signs of an oncoming panic attack. They all worked together to develop methods to help Shiro and make sure he was okay.

They also became aware of the nightmares. They made plans for most situations; like whoever was on night shift would check on Shiro at night. If he was having a nightmare, they had to call for another team member and while they waited quietly help him through it. They learnt very quickly that waking him up was painful and a near death experience. So they opted to just soothe him to a calmer sleep.

It was also the little things that made life easier. Like how Lance knitted the perfect cuddle size lion plushies for everyone, out of yarn and stuffing he had found in a hidden away store at the Space Mall. How Pidge had carefully crafted a string of fairy lights with Hunk and how the on so carefully made a playlist of soothing music for when Shiro may need it, like after an attack or when he was unable to sleep. And how Keith had found a pin up board and spent hours painstakingly finding photos of them all the put on it, all arranged around a message saying “best space dad”. Everyone on the team had contributed and the fairy lights had been strung around the border. Together the team had worked to make Shiro feel like he had a home and that his room was comfortable. 

Shiro loved everything they did for him, the love and affection that he had craved finally there. He absolutely adored his little black lion plushie and he was commonly seen cuddling it, especially every night. The playlist was a saviour and helped him greatly. And Shiro had broken down sobbing when he had seen the pin up board.

It made him feel loved, and that's what they all wanted. Shiro deserved so much more love than they could provide. He may not think he deserves it, but he does. He had been through so much, and done so much for them. It's time for the other paladins to say thanks, and do something for him in return.


End file.
